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Ibson swaps Spartak for Santos, Pletikosa leaves

FC Spartak Moskva have bid farewell to midfielder Ibson after the 27-year-old signed for Santos FC while Croatia goalkeeper Stipe Pletikosa has been released.

Ibson has left Spartak for Santos
Ibson has left Spartak for Santos ©Getty Images

Midfielder Ibson has brought an end to his two-year spell at UEFA Europa League contenders FC Spartak Moskva by signing for Santos FC in his native Brazil while Croatia goalkeeper Stipe Pletikosa has been released.

The 27-year-old Ibson is reported to have moved on for a fee of €4m, having originally joined Spartak from FC Porto in July 2009. Ibson notched three goals in 44 Premier-Liga games for Valeri Karpin's side, who will enter the UEFA Europa League in the play-off round after finishing fourth in Russia in 2010.

Pletikosa, 32, has been training with Spartak's reserves since returning from a year-long loan at Tottenham Hotspur FC in England, where he failed to break into the first team. He had arrived at Spartak in 2007 from FC Shakhtar Donetsk and in his first two terms was a regular starter.